Liquid sealed pipe cap



June l0, 1947. 1. G. BETTENCOURT LIQUID SEALED PIPE CAP Filed Nov. 28, 1941 fr/ff...

,Il muuu Tlll l I x ll l e m WW oc v T Tm M J2ME Patented June 10, 1947 UNITED STATESY PATENT OFFICE LIQUID SEALED PIPE CAP Joseph G. Bettencourt, Berkeley, Calif.

Application November 28, 1941, Serial No. 420,800

4 Claims.

The invention relates to the water-tight capping of an upright pipe or the like.

A general object is to provide a pipe capping means having a combined liquid and air seal against the entry of water at the capping means should the latter be immersed in water.

Another object is to provide a particularly simple and effective and inexpensive structure for the capping means.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment of the invention, and in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 shows a capping means embodying the invention in elevation and operatively mounted at the upper end of a pipe which terminates in a depression in the ground.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary right-side elevation of the capping means.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the capping structure, the operative cap of the structure being fully lowered at the right-side portion of the gure, and being shown as slightly raised at the left-side portion, the section being taken on the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a partially sectional plan view of the structure taken on the stepped line 4-4 in Figure 3.

The present device has been particularly designed for providing a water-tight capping of a ller pipe or the like having its inlet end outdoors and disposed in a ground depression, whereby the pipe capping means may be more or less concealed and protected; the filler pipe might be that for an underground tank arranged to contain inflammable and/or explosive liquids such as hydrocarbon fuels and oils and being vented independently of the cap. Such an outdoor depression may, however, receive and retain water from rain or snow to more or less submerge the capped pipe end therein, and the present device has been particularly designed to provide a water-tight capping for a pipe under such circumstances, and under any other circumstance in which the intended or unintended submersion of a capped pipe end in Water, or some other liquid. may occur.

In its present embodiment, the pipe-capping means of my invention is shown as operatively mounted at the top end of an upright pipe S which terminates in a cavity or depression I provided in the ground. The cavity l may be defined by side and bottom walls 8 of concrete or earth,

and a stepped collar 9 fitted in the top of the cavity provides a seat II for a closure plate I2. The plate I2 is arranged for removal when the cap of the present capping device is to be installed or removed, and is shown as being provided with a central ringer hole I3 to facilitate its manual removal and replacement. The top of the collar 9 and closure plate I2 are ush with the top of the ground whereby the installation does not interfere With travel thereover.

The present pipe 6 is externally threaded at its top end portion to xedly mount a body or base member I4 which in turn removably mounts a cap member I5, said members being cooperative as a capping assembly for providing the desired seal. The member I4 has an inner tubular portion I6 providing a bore for alignment with the pipe bore and is internally threaded at its lower portion for threadedly and sealedly mounting the body at the top end of the pipe 6. Intermediately of the body, portions I'I and I8 respectively extend radially and upwardly to provide an annular reservoir space I9 encircling the body part I 6 which extends above the portion Il and provides the inner wall of the space, said space being arranged to receive and retain a non-evaporating sealing liquid 20 such as an oil. As particularly illustrated, an outer portion of the reservoir bottom provided by the portion I'I is stepped downwardly below the inner face portion 2| of the bottom.

The cap member I5 has an annular side 22 depending perimetrically from the cap top 23, said side and top being imperforate, and the bore of the cap side 22 is somewhat larger than the cylindrical reservoir side I 8 to freely receive the latter. An annular divisional wall 24 depends integrally from the cap top 23 within the cap space and for the extension of a lower portion into the liquid 20 in the annular reservoir I9 in laterally spaced relation from the inner and outer reservoir sides respectively provided by the walls I6 and I8 of the base I4, the wall 24 being inperforate and defining an annular space 25 between it and the cap side 22 and beneath the cap top 23 for receiving the outer reservoir wall I8. The relations are such that the bottom of the wall 24 of the mounted cap I5 may engage the reservoir bottom I1 to limit the lowering of the cap with respect to the member I4 while the outer reservoir wall I8 is simultaneously spaced from both the sides and top of the space 25; in the present structure, the outer reservoir wall I8 does not extend upwardly as far as the base part I6 which provides the inner reservoir wall.

Means are provided for fixing the cap I5 in axially adjusted position on the fixed base I 4; as shown, the upper part of the inner sleeve-like base portion I6 above the reservoir I9 is externally threaded for threaded engagement with an inwardly stepped upper portion 24" of the wall 24 whereby the cap is a screw-cap with respect to a pipe to be capped, and the lower end face 26 of the divisional wall 24 may be forcibly disposed against or held spaced from the face 2| at the reservoir bottom while the wall part 24' is laterally spaced from the reservoir walls I6 and I8. When the passage provided by and between the engaged threads of the cap and base contains liquid from the reservoir, said passage is arranged to be sealed by the liquid against the upward pressure flow of the liquid therealong. Capillary action will normally eiect a lubrication wetting of the cap and base threads with the reservoir liquid, it being noted that the threads of the base part I6' extend from within the reservoir space. A ground lt is preferably provided for the faces 2| and 26 whereby an air-tight seal may be provided between these faces when they are forcibly engaged by the screwing down of the cap to its limit.

As particularly shown, the cap side 22 extends for such a distance below the cap top that it receives the reservoir side I8 in its bore before the threads of the cap engage the threads of the bore portion I6; in this manner, the cap is guided for its threaded mounting on the base to prevent cross-threading damage. The upper exterior portion of the cap may be suitably uted, or otherwise formed, to facilitate the mounting and removal of the cap. While the top of the space provided between the side 22 and the wall 24 of the cap is shown as somewhat lower than the plane of the under face of the central portion of the cap top 23 at the top of the cap part 24, it is, for descriptive convenience, considered that said side and partition extend from said plane, the cap material between the opposed faces of the side and wall and below said plane being considered as a ller which desirably minimizes the capacity of the portion of the space above the outer reservoir wall I8 when the cap is operatively mounted on the pipe 6.

W'hile I have hereinbefore described the capping means of my invention, as particularly designed for use at the upper end of an upright pipe, it will be understood that the pipe shown represents any equivalent element providing an upright duct such as, for instance, the collar or nozzle portion of a saddle flange on a tank. Also, it will be understood that the member I4, which is arranged to be permanently mounted on a pipe or collar or nozzle, may be integral with any of the latter, whereby the term pipe may include the member I4 for descriptive purposes.

In the use of the present pipe capping device, it will be noted that as the cap is screwed down on the pipe top for its operative mounting thereon, the entry of the divisional wall portion 24' of the cap in the sealing liquid 20 in the reservoir I9 will raise the liquid level at both sides of the wall. If now, with the cap set to provide a passage between the opposed bottom face 26 of the wall 24 and the face 2| of the reservoir bottom I9, the air pressure around the cap and within the air space 25 becomes greater than the pressure within the pipe, the difference in pressures will urge a lowering of the liquid level outwardly of the partition wall 24 and a corresponding raising of the liquid inwardly of said wall along the engaged threads of the cap and pipe until a seal against liquid flow is provided between the threads.

Under water submergence conditions, the pressure due to the depth of the water above the normal level of the sealing liquid will cause the foregoing pressure effect accompanied by a. rising of the water between the reservoir side I8 and the cap side 22. The present capping assembly is so designed that, with an appropriate charge of sealing liquid in the reservoir I9, any expected pressure due to the depth of the submerging ws.- ter above the normal level of the sealing liquid may not sufficiently displace the sealing liquid to allow an inward flow of air from the space 25 and beneath the division wall and/or so compress the air trapped by the water in the space 25 as to permit a iiow of water into the reservoir over the top of the outer reservoir wall I 8; in this manner, a combined liquid and air seal is provided and maintained for all submersion depths up to the limit for which the particular assembly is designed.

While the cap I5 need not be fully screwed down under normal use conditions, and is therefore easily removed by hand and without use of a wrench or other tool, advantage may be taken of the mechanical seal provided when the cap is forcibly screwed down to sealedly engage the face 26 of the wall 24 with the seat provided by the face 2| of the reservoir bottom I1, with a film of sealing liquid between said faces. This added sealing means may be utilized in case the cap assembly is to be submerged for some time or while water is being removed from about the assembly. Also, it has been found in practice that a single charge of a non-evaporating oil in the reservoir I9 will last longer than one rainy season, whereby a minimum of attention is required for maintaining the sealing efliciency of the present cap assembly; engine lubricating oil of a 30 or 40 S. A. E. rating has been found satisfactory as a sealing liquid.

Means are provided for securing the cap I5 against its unauthorized removal from an operative position on a pipe which mounts it. As shown, an ear 21 extends radially from the member I4 beyond the cap side 22 and below and adjacent the plane of the bottom of said side when the cap is lowered to its limit, said ear being provided with an eye opening 28 extending transversely therethrough axially of the cap and beyond said cap side for receiving the bolt 29 of a padlock 3 I. A lug 32 extends radially from the bottom of the cap side 22 for movement in a zone including the lock bout 29 when the cap is operatively disposed on the pipe, the installed lock bolt then functioning as a stop. In terms of the mounting rotation of the cap, the lug 32 is arranged to be disposed just beyond the lock' bolt 29 when the cap face 26 engages the base face or seat 2|. When the mounted cap is to be used in a raised position with respect to the seat, the bolt ofthe installed padlock is arranged to limit the permitted rotation of the cap to somewhat less than a full turn thereof whereby the removal of the cap is then prevented until the lock 3| has been removed.

From the foregoing description of my pipe capping device, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of its construction and use will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While I have described the features and use of an arrangement which I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: k

l. In a capping means for an upright pipe having its upper end subject to immersion in water, means on the pipe providing an encircling annular reservoir having an open top and containing a liquid sealing medium, a cap enclosing said reservoir, said cap having an imperforate top and an imperforate and continuous depending side spaced radially from the reservoir, and an annular divisional wall depending from the cap top and having an upper portion threadedly engaging the inner reservoir wall above the reservoir for the direct support of the cap on said wall and having a lower portion extending into the sealing medium in the reservoir in laterally spaced relation from the reservoir sides.

2. In a capping means for an upright pipe having its upper end subject to immersion in water, means on the pipe providing an encircling annular reservoir having an open top and containing a liquid sealing medium, a cap enclosing said reservoir, said cap having an imperforate top and an imperforate and continuous side depending from its top and spaced radially from the reservoir, and an annular divisional wall depending from the cap top to dispose its lower portion in the sealing medium in the reservoir in laterally spaced relation from the reservoir sides and having its upper portion threadedly engaging the inner reservoir wall above the reservoir for the adjusted disposal of its lower end portion with respect to the reservoir bottom.

3. In a capping means for an upright pipe having its upper end subject to immersion in water, means on the pipe providing an encircling annular reservoir having an open top and containing a liquid sealing medium,` a cap supported above and enclosing "said reservoir with the cap having ar threadedly engaging the inner reservoir wall in its bore and a lower portion extending freely into the sealing medium in the reservoir, opposed faces of the divisional wall and reservoir bottom being arranged for engagement to provide a sealed partitioning of the reservoir space when the cap is screwed down to its limit on the pipe.

4. In a capping means for an upright pipe. means on the pipe providing an encircling annular reservoir having an open top and containing a liquid sealing medium, an imperforate cap mounted above and enclosing said reservoir, with the cap having a depending side radially spaced from the reservoir, and a continuous imperforate wail depending from the cap top and having an upper portion thereof in threaded engagement with the inner reservoir wall and an integral lower portion thereof extending into the liquid in the reservoir in spaced relation from the reservoir sides, the inner reservoir wall extending upwardly from within the reservoir space and being cooperative with the opposed lower partition portion and the lower end of the yupper partition portion to dene a closed space above the liquid in the reservoir.

JOSEPH G. BE'I'IENCOURT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,443,650 Ruckman Jan. 30, 1923 2,169,312 Wilking Aug. 15, 1939 1,187,219 With June 13, 1916 1,554,773 Wiggins Sept, 22, 1925 950,097 Edgerton Feb. 22, 1910 1,485,738 Raft Mar. 4, 1924 2,287,750 Clayton June 23, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 568,256 France Mar. 21, 1924 28,061 Norway Oct. 23, 1916 21,077 Switzerland Dec. 11, 1899 17,172 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1894 

